I think the push for 3D modeling is hurting actual drafting skills

Everyone in my shop jumped on SolidWorks last year, but I noticed the new guys can't read a tape measure or visualize a section cut without the software doing it for them. Has anyone else seen green drafters struggle with basic 2D layouts because they rely too much on the 3D view?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_gibson4317d ago

Idk it reminds me of how people can't do basic math in their head anymore because calculators are on every phone. Same kind of thing where the tool takes over and the actual skill fades. Maybe it's just me but learning the fundamentals first makes the software way more useful later on.

paul_lane8017d ago

Funny you say that, @troy_gibson43. I had a buddy who tried to jump straight into Photoshop for his side hustle designing flyers. He knew all the hotkey shortcuts and layer tricks by heart but had zero clue about color theory or composition. His stuff looked like a ransom note made by a robot. Then last month his computer crashed and he had to hand-draw a sign for his kid's bake sale. It was a disaster - like watching a guy who's never cooked try to flip a pancake. He finally admitted that learning the basics first would've saved him a ton of headaches.